North Korea fired 2 unidentified projectiles...early reports

[soryang]

North Korea fired 2 unidentified projectiles, South Korea says
CNN Digital Expansion Shoot, Joshua Berlinger
By Yoonjung Seo and Joshua Berlinger, CNN

Updated 6:27 AM ET, Thu October 31, 2019

Seoul, South Korea (CNN)North Korea fired two "unidentified projectiles" into the waters between South Korea and Japan on Thursday afternoon, the South Korean government said in a statement.

It is unclear what exactly was launched, but South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the military "is maintaining its readiness by monitoring relevant movements in preparation for further launches."

Japan's Coast Guard said in a statement "it appears that North Korea has launched a missile" and advised ships to avoid the area.

If confirmed as a missile test, it would be the first by Pyongyang in nearly a month and the 12th since May. The country said it tested a new type of submarine-launched ballistic missile on October 2. Experts voiced concern over that event because it was the first missile test by North Korea in some time that didn't involve a shorter-range weapon.

More: https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/31/asia/north-korea-projectile-intl-hnk/index.html

Preliminary report indicates launch site near Sunchon NK

Sunchŏn
순천시
South Pyongan Do
North Korea

Sunchon city is about 40 miles north of Pyongyang. The guess is that these two projectiles were launched from a mobile large sized army ballistic missile launcher. In terms of range that would make them short range ballistic missiles from a strategic standpoint, but long range battlefield weapons.


(Source- JTBC News Oct 31)

The South Korean JCS is reporting that the estimated range of the longest flight was 370 km and the altitude 90 km.

South Korea expert says launch, in part, a response to US B-52s in East Sea Oct 25, and also an indication of increasing North Korean dissatisfaction with US maximum pressure campaign and deadlocked talks characterized by US failure to undertake a new approach reflected in the earliest Singapore summit.

This was said by the former South Korea reunification minister Jeong Se-hyun in a tv interview on JTBC News South Korea.

There appears to have been a tacit understanding observed between the US and North Korea concerning the presence of strategic platforms in the region. Previously B-52s from Guam had been staying on the Pacific Ocean side of Japan or the East China Sea.

Here's the related twitter post from AircraftSpots:

Link to tweet